NEWS RELEASE TRADE TRACKS
A growing body of workforce data is sending a clear message: the issue facing employers is not a lack of jobs, it is a lack of people entering the skilled trades pipeline.
And while labour shortages have become widely recognized across industry, Trade Tracks is calling attention to a deeper issue, the need to move beyond awareness and toward real, coordinated solutions.
“Everyone sees the shortage,” said Carl Gray, CEO of Trade Tracks. “It’s talked about in boardrooms, job sites, classrooms, and government reports. The problem now is not visibility of the issue, it’s action. We need to build real pathways that connect young people to these careers before they make decisions about their future.”
According to the 2026 EmployerOne Survey for Waterloo Wellington Dufferin, more than half of employers reported hard-to-fill positions, with the number one reason identified as a lack of applicants. At the same time, 90% of employers indicated they are willing to train candidates who demonstrate interest and a strong fit within their organization.
This challenge is not isolated.
Across Ontario and Canada, labour market data shows that hundreds of thousands of skilled trades workers will be needed over the next decade, driven by retirements, infrastructure demand, and continued growth in sectors such as construction, manufacturing, transportation, and industrial services. In many trades, up to one in five workers is nearing retirement, while entry into the apprenticeship pipeline remains insufficient to meet future demand.
Despite widespread awareness of these shortages, participation in the trades has not kept pace, pointing to a deeper issue rooted in exposure and cultural perception.
“We don’t have a job shortage, we have a visibility and cultural awareness problem,” said Gray. “Young people are not avoiding the trades because they lack ability. They’re avoiding them because they don’t see them, and they don’t experience them early enough to understand what’s possible.”
Trade Tracks, a hands-on skilled trades and career exploration event, is designed as part of that solution.
Taking place at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex, the event brings together employers, educators, and more than 2,000 students in an interactive outdoor environment where careers are not just described, they are experienced.
Unlike traditional career fairs, Trade Tracks focuses on engagement over information, allowing students to operate equipment, interact with professionals, and gain a real understanding of the work.
The initiative directly addresses a critical gap identified in workforce data: while training systems and employment opportunities exist, early-stage awareness, exposure, and connection remain limited.
Employers themselves are reinforcing this reality. The EmployerOne survey found that nearly half of businesses still rely on informal networks and word-of-mouth to recruit, highlighting the absence of a structured pipeline connecting students to skilled careers.
At the same time, cultural perceptions continue to influence participation. Some employers report that young people lack interest in hands-on work or do not see trades as viable long-term careers, a perception that Trade Tracks aims to challenge directly through experience, not messaging alone.
“We need to stop treating the trades as an alternative and start recognizing them as essential,” said Gray. “These are high-skill, high-impact careers that build our communities, our infrastructure, and our economy. If we want different outcomes, we need to create different entry points.”
Trade Tracks positions itself not as a once-a-year, two-day event, but as part of a broader effort to rebuild the workforce pipeline, starting with awareness, exposure, and cultural recognition, and moving toward long-term engagement between students and industry.
For employers, participation offers an opportunity to:
- Connect with future workforce entrants at an early stage
- Showcase their industry in a meaningful, hands-on way
Contribute to rebuilding a sustainable talent pipeline
- Take an active role in addressing workforce challenges
For students, it provides something often missing in traditional systems: the opportunity to see, touch, and experience career pathways before making decisions that shape their future.
“The data is clear,” said Gray. “The jobs are here. The training is available. Employers are ready. The missing piece is connection, and that’s what Trade Tracks is built to provide.”
Local employers, industry partners, and organizations across all sectors are encouraged to participate.
Event Details:
Trade Tracks
Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex Grounds
Friday, May 22 — 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Saturday, May 23 — 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Exhibitor registration and event information: www.tradetracks.net
